Shelly Gonzales didn’t attend Texas in his final two runs of the Elite 8.
However that does not imply the senior guard has no thought what the NCAA Event is all about. Gonzales spent the final 4 years at BYU — he redshirted all the way through the 2019-20 season — and began for groups that gained event video games in 2019 and 2021.
“I’d simply say that the NCAA event is only a dogfight. I believe any crew could have its evening,” Gonzales instructed newshounds on Friday.
An afternoon later, Gonzales and Texas had an evening out. Overdue evening at that. Gonzales scored 20 issues and had one milestone because the fourth-seeded Longhorns posted a 79–40 win over East Carolina on the Moody Heart. The sport kicked off after 9 p.m., and the victory complex Texas (26-9) to a second-round matchup on Monday in opposition to Louisville (24-11).
“I indisputably really feel like now we have different video games which might be complete, however I imply, I am very happy with our crew,” Gonzales stated. “We got here right here and we knew it used to be going to be a dogfight and we knew we had to center of attention mentally and bodily, particularly (after dropping to Iowa State in final Sunday’s Large 12 championship recreation) ).”
Texas and East Carolina exchanged the lead two times on Saturday, however regulate of the scoreboard remained with the Longhorns for the evening. By the point the second one quarter buzzer sounded, Texas led 45–24.
The Longhorns constructed that 21-point halftime lead at the back of a balanced offensive assault that shot 51.7% from the sphere. Level guard Rory Harmon, who averaged 7.3 assists in keeping with recreation, scored 8 ahead of halftime. Gonzales led Texas with 11 issues, and she or he used to be one in every of 8 Longhorns who scored.
Gonzales scored the primary six issues of the second one part. And when he sank a transition jumper on his first shot of the 3rd quarter, he recorded the two,000th level of his collegiate profession.
Texas trainer Vic Schaefer stated, “Let me inform you, it is exhausting to attain 2,000 issues in faculty basketball.” “The child in point of fact hit a milestone this night.”
Gonzales scored his first 1,555 issues at BYU. Had she scored all of the ones issues at Texas, she would have joined Annette Smith-Knight (2,523), Linda Wagner (2,256) and Clarissa Davis (2,008) in UT’s profession 2,000-point membership.
“I believe I have indisputably labored very exhausting my whole basketball profession,” Gonzales stated. “It used to be so thrilling to look my circle of relatives and my pals, or lovers, have a good time for me.”
Along with Gonzales’ offensive output, Texas were given 12 assists from Harmon. Fellow guard Shay Hollow additionally scored 10 issues and knocked down 4 of his six pictures.
And whilst it fared positive at the perimeter, Texas did much more harm close to the basket. Texas outgained East Carolina through a margin of 44–30. The Longhorns scored 40 issues within the paint. Ahead Deionna Gaston recorded his fourth double-double of the season with an 11-point, 10-rebound effort. Taylor Jones had 16 issues, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks in handiest 25 mins of motion.
“We knew they have been going to get bodily,” East Carolina guard Sinia Johnson stated. “That you must say we indisputably were given difficult.”
East Carolina (23-10) used to be led through Dane McNeil with 13 issues and Amiah Joyner added 10. It used to be the crew’s first NCAA Event look since 2007.
notes: Louisville intercepted Drake in an 83–81 victory ahead of Texas gained. Again in November, Louisville defeated UT in a recreation performed within the Bahamas. … Harmon, who is likely one of the Large 12’s leaders in mins, sat at the ultimate 8:38. … Led through Jones, Texas blocked 12 East Carolina pictures. The second one of the ones hauls broke the varsity file of 199 that used to be set all the way through the 2009–10 season.